The saints and the Eucharist

Something that strikes me again and again is the witness of the Saints from the earliest times. Their lives were what might be termed ‘eucharistic’; they lived the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection.  They managed, by grace, to turn their lives around and remain anchored in Christ.  In recent centuries, there are hundreds of officially canonised saints and unknown numbers of others who found their daily or weekly sustenance in the Eucharist.  Their approach and thinking was informed by scripture and tradition.  They accepted in trust what was given and received about the Eucharist.  For some, the Eucharist was a particularly emphasised practice or focus of devotion as we see with the many ‘Apostles of the Eucharist’ such as St Peter Julian Eymard, founder the Blessed Sacrament congregation.

Who is a Saint? The one does the will go God – no more, no less.

It is striking that every journey to sainthood was marked by suffering, opposition, doubt and divine consolation.  It was a bumpy road characterised by faith, hope and love.

So it was for their Lord and Master. Why would it be any different for the rest of us?